More Herald hypocrisy

by Cameron Slater on January 19, 2015 at 9:30am

The NZ Herald stated that they stood with Charlie Hebdo, they got their cartoonist to plagiarise another cartoon for their front page and then refused to publish the survivors edition of Charlie Hebdo.

To add insult to injury they claimed a long-standing policy of not insulting religious communities (the policy has only been in place since the Danish cartoon controversy).

Despite all that they continue and have insulted communities, just not the Islamic community. They feel free to insult Buddhists, Christians and others. I have provided numerous examples of their breaches of their own “long-standing policy”.

Readers have identified even more, including insulting images to Hindus.

An illustration of the Hindu goddess Kali holding amongst other things a packet of cigarettes published in the New Zealand Herald has caused shock and offence in the Indian community. The Hindu Council of New Zealand has formally brought this to the notice of the Race Relations Commissioner.

The illustration was pulled from the newspaper’s website, but a string of comments refer to it. “The Goddess Kali image you put up is very offensive to Hindus. This is a national newspaper and you should have given it a thought before you put up an image like that. Would appreciate if you can remove it,” said Sathu in a comment on Herald’s online version of the story, before the cartoon was removed.

Another comment by Jptan reads, “I was just going to say the same. I’m not Hindu but this image seems like it might cause offense and whoever drew and put it up was a bit ignorant of that fact.”

The illustration accompanies the story which talks about dairy owners expected to become moral police. Indian Associations are of the opinion that the illustration in addition to depicting what Hindus hold sacred in a derogatory fashion; has no connection to the article. “The illustration of Goddess Kali published in New Zealand Herald cannot be attributed to ignorance and has nothing to do with the article on dairy owners that it was accompanying. It seems to be a malicious desire to cause mischief by the cartoonist and the editor. They hurriedly removed the caricature from their internet version and this indicates they realized they had been caught, but instead of an apology and owning up, they just hoped no one will notice.

So they pulled it from online, they still haven’t done that for other images that likewise insulted religious communities.

Like the Powershop image:

Or other St Matthews in the City billboards which many found offensive.

and:

So it seems insulting Christians is ok with the NZ Herald and their editors, despite a clear stated policy of not doing so. They won’t publish images that insult Muslims. Buddhists and Hindus are ok to insult, but if someone has a good hard moan then they will take the images down.

It seems that the NZ Herald’s policy is somewhat porous, so much so that it is actually unfit for purpose.

After all who is to be the arbiter of what is insulting or not.

As Bill Maher said “Free speech only works if there are no waivers”.

The NZ Herald has waivers, they don’t actually believe in free speech, they need to get t-shirts made with “Je suis part of the problem” because they certainly aren’t Charlie.

– NZ Herald

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But in a slightly different context, the Herald is sticking to its guns by continuing to publish ill-researched, sometimes inaccurate and sometimes completely fictitious drivel in the face of significant retaliation – just look at their subscription figures.

Damon Mudgway

After careful consideration and more than a wee bit of research, the award goes to…(drumroll)…

Whale Oil

Damon Mudgway

In defence of the Herald, they are really just an advertorial nowadays. They just don’t have anything I want to buy.

Aucky

With Easter looming I anticipate some interesting management discussions at the Herald. St Matthew in the City will no doubt be adding some combustible material to fuel the issue as will the old chestnut of holiday trading. I’m betting that the Herald will be cancelling Easter this year.

I.M Bach

Things aren’t looking good at this point…

dgrogan

Looks like clean road kill. Might be OK for the pot? Have retrieved the odd pheasant between shooting seasons. Nothing like free Kai.

Dairy_Flat

Note the Hindu response to the image; a polite request to consider removing it. No threats or beheadings, no street marches calling for killing the publishers. Just a civilised request.

I.M Bach

That’s got my vote for ‘Comment Of The Day’.

Eddie

I don’t like many of the Hebdo cartoons though the freedom to print them is something that should be fought for (as long as they are not inciting hatred – then clear lines are drawn in the same way hate speech is unacceptable). There is no other way to truly support this principle than publishing the cartoon. The Herald are clearly cowaring to terror and allowing our democracy to be eroded.

ex-JAFA

To the (Horrid) commenter Jptan and others of their ilk: because offence is subjective and can only ever be taken, not given, it’s just not possible for you to be offended by proxy. If Sathu and others want to be offended, that’s fine, and they can choose to whinge or to pull on their own big girls’ panties.

oldmanNZ

I would imaging the NZH would not try to insult the hindus again, there is a lot of Dairys that sell the NZH.